DENTON

[Transcribed and edited information from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868]

"DENTON, a parish in the hundred of Norman Cross, in the county of
Huntingdon, 7½ miles south-west of Peterborough, and ¾ miles south-west of Stilton.
It is
situated on Holme Brook, and belonged to the Cottons of Connington. This
parish forms a narrow slip of land of about 600 acres. The village is
extremely small, and wholly agricultural. The living is a rectory in the
diocese of Ely, value £130, in the patronage of the executors of the late
Captain Wells. The church, dedicated to All Saints, was built in 1665, by
the Cottons. The tithes were commuted for land under the Enclosure Act of
1802. The charities amount to £16 per annum. There is an endowed school.
Sir Robert Cotton, founder of the Cottonian Library, now in the British
Museum, was born here in 1570. W. Wells, Esq., is lord of the manor."

A full transcription of the 1891 Census of the Stilton sub-District of the Peterborough
Registration District (RG12/1225) in which Denton was enumerated, and which took place
on 5th April 1891, has also been produced by the Huntingdonshire FHS (as Fiche C-15).

An index of surnames in the 1851 Census of the Peterborough Registration District
(HO107/1747) in which Denton was enumerated (Folios 54 - 56), and which took place
on 30th March 1851, has also been produced by the Peterborough & District FHS.

The Index is available in either microfiche or A5 booklet form from Mr G Harbron,
7 Newby Close, Peterborough PE3 6PU, England. Please state which version you want.

The church of All Saints consisted of a chancel, nave, tower at the south-west
corner and a north porch. The walls were of rubble with stone dressings, and the
roofs were covered with stone slates and tiles.

The church is mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086, but the earliest parts
which remained were the 12th century responds of the chancel arch, and the arch
itself which was of the 13th century. the nave appeared to have been rebuilt in
the 14th century and part of the west wall from this work remained.

The chancel and nave appeared to have been rebuilt in 1629, the porch in 1665
and the tower around 1671. The church was restored in 1865, but deteriorated in
the mid-20th century such that it was abandoned as 'a tidy ruin' around 1962.
The last services appear to have been held some 10 years earlier.

The
Huntingdonshire Marriage Indexes
include marriages from this parish. These are, at present, issued in alphabetical
listings in series: 1601-1700, and 1701-1754, and are available from the
Huntingdonshire FHS Bookstall.

Denton was originally in the Peterborough Registration District of Northamptonshire
from 1st July 1837. Subsequently it was transferred to the Stilton sub-District of
Huntingdonshire. It was later transferred to the Peterborough District.

From 1st April 1998, marriage records were transferred to the Huntingdon Registry
Office, but the births and burial records were retained by Peterborough.